Ilsa Madden-Mills

River you cocky beautiful man stole my heart from the beginning.
River has a heart of gold, learns about other so he can truly be a good friend and help them if they ever need it. Yes, he can be a little cocky because he is a jock but deep down, he truly has the most beautiful soul ever. The way this book started I loved that it kind of reads like a news article or gossip rag telling us about the tragic fall of the three football gods at Braxton then it introduces us to River’s story. River show more may seem like he has it all with good looks, president of the Kappa’s, making friends everywhere he goes, but what others do not see is he everyday struggles. River suffers from dyslexia, ADHD, family loss, among other things plus he cannot ever have the girl of his dreams. He knows his Rainbow girl is the one but she is dating his frat brother so that is a hard no for him, but man does he want her so bad that he has to treat her awful in order to stay away. Anastasia is this beautiful free spirit that was raised by her parents that loved to live on the nomadic side, travel, and experience life wile she enjoyed getting to see so much of the world she always craved a family and stability. She thinks she has that in her current boyfriend, but he comes from money and deep down she knows it isn’t something that could truly work and then her eyes are opened. She starts to see the heart of River and she knows how amazing he truly is, but do they cross that line? Do they let what others will think of them let them determine they can’t? Or will they throw caution to the wind and realize life is too short to waste time? I loved this book and every character in it and can’t wait for their stories, but it was truly River, his struggles, and his heart that had me falling in love. show less

This was a struggle to get through. I think, in part, this is because I read Boyfriend Bargain immediately before this one, and the plots and characters are basically the exact same just with different names and sports. In this book, the weaknesses I overlooked in the other one are even more pronounced: everything feels rushed - especially the ending, some plot devices come across as more contrived than inevitable, and the characters' motivations were all over the place. It seems like all show more the great ideas in this book were only half-way explored, like this book is an earlier, much rougher draft of Boyfriend Bargain. show less

Fun, festive, short and sexy
5 stars

An enemies-to-lovers, stranded in a snowy cabin, Christmas quickie written by Ilsa Madden-Mills? Yes, to all those things! Gimme!

This is a short story - roughly 150 pages long - about Iris, a pretty and sassy boot designer, and Kyler, a hot-shot hockey player whose nickname is ‘The Beast’ - and what happens when they’re snowed in together in a cabin in the mountains. They don’t technically know each other prior to the events in the book but they show more definitely know of each other - and don’t like what the other represents.

But we all know that people who dislike each other are secretly hot for each other. Well, in romance novels, anyway. And that’s definitely the case with Iris and Kyler. The cabin’s a small space, Kyler doesn’t have many clothes with him (oh what a tragedy!) so Iris gets more than an eyeful and likes what she sees. So does Kyler. So we have mutual bickering and mutual lust! Yay!

As the two spend time together in the cabin - bickering and sniping at each other - they get to know each other. We’re also privy to some background information about our pair that make them really likeable and relatable. While Iris has her heartbreak, it’s Kyler’s backstory that killed me. It’s so sad and I just wanted to hug the guy. Big, burly guys with soft, squishy centres are definitely my catnip.

They start to like each other but the spark still remains and we get some seriously sexy times for a short book. But it felt real and not rushed - emotionally so. I believed them and was cheering for them to get their stuff together!

This is Ilsa Madden-Mills so of course the writing is exemplary. I felt this was slightly different to all the other stories of hers I’ve read - slightly lighter and sweeter - but it still had all the hallmarks of her style. I blasted through this story and it really gave me the Christmassy vibe that I crave in festive romances.

I seriously hope this is the start of a new series as I’m hankering to see Will - and also The Wizard - find their matches. I would also love to see Kyler and Iris in the future - still hopefully bickering away at each other. But as for this story, it was short, sweet, sexy and deliciously festive. 5 stars. show less

This was one heck of a ride! Emmaline Darling, a book lover bouncing back from a messy breakup, ends up in a desert motel seeking peace. Out of the blue, she takes off in football star Graham Harlan's flashy Lamborghini to escape her ex. Graham, dealing with the aftermath of a near-death experience on the football field, tracks her down and drops the bomb – let's get hitched for a family inheritance. Madden-Mills weaves a story that's not just your typical romance. It's packed with laughs, show more sizzling chemistry, and emotional punches. Emmaline and Graham's fake relationship? It's anything but fake as it blossoms into something real. The book dives deep into family, love, and personal growth, giving us a rollercoaster of feelings. This isn't just a read; it's an experience that'll have you hooked and rooting for these characters. show less